Smartphones Could Help People Measure Blood Oxygen Levels at Home in a “Flash”
When we breathe in, oxygen-containing air fills our lungs. This oxygen is then transferred to our red blood cells, which then carry it throughout our bodies. Our bodies require a lot of oxygen to function, and healthy people constantly have an oxygen saturation level of at least 95%. Ailments like COVID-19 and asthma make it more difficult for humans to absorb oxygen from the lungs. As a result, oxygen saturation levels fall to 90% or lower, signaling the need for medical intervention. Doctors use pulse oximeters at a clinic to keep an eye on oxygen saturation. The clips you place over your fingertip or ear are pulse oximeters. However, there may be advantages to regularly checking oxygen saturation at home. For instance, it might assist patients in monitoring COVID symptoms. Researchers from the Universities of Washington (UW) and California San Diego (UCSD) have demonstrated in a proof-of-concept study that cellphones are capable of detecting blood oxygen saturation levels as low as ...